Catering for dietary requirements

[Badhostess]

I’m hosting a party soon & one of my attendees doesn’t eat gluten, nuts, dairy or soya.

I was planning on doing an afternoon tea buffet but I’m really struggling to find ready-made food that is free from all of the above.

I’ve got 40 guests coming & I am trying to stick to a budget as well so don’t really have the time or money to be making a whole afternoon tea from scratch for this guest.

So I guess I’m asking if it WBU to only offer 1 or 2 items that this guest could eat ?

Can you do her a separate plate?

@LarryIsMyRomanEmpire I’m struggling to find a whole separate meal of afternoon tea for them as I don’t have the time to make it all from scratch and there is limited ready made options which are also very expensive

Can you ask them for advice as to what they like/can have/have bought before?

But if you’re catering for 39 other people, I think it’s a bit mean to say you can’t afford to accommodate one person.

Ask her what she would like you to do? I have food allergies and am happy to be asked.

Does she choose not to eat those things or is there a medical reason?

Ocado sell vegan gluten-free scones, both plain and sultana. I just checked the ingredients list and they look OK but you might want to run it past her to be sure. You could serve them with jam and oat fake cream?
https://www.ocado.com/products/gluten-free-kitchen-vegan-sultana-scones/571542011

https://www.ocado.com/products/gluten-free-kitchen-vegan-plain-scones/571541011

No allergies just a preference

I was going to say you are being unreasonable to not cater for her but that is a big list to avoid for one person. I'd just ask her. It's likely she is use to it with a few things to avoid.

I'm gluten free and either would say I would bring my own food or give suggestions on what to get.

I cant eat much of those foods too.

You can buy gluten free tiger bread from Asda, which is gluten and soya free. Use dairy free spread or mayo, then ham or chicken salad sandwich.

Most ready to roll puff pastry is dairy free, with sausage for sausage rolls.

Sainsburys sell vegan (and gluten free) chocolate cake and lemon cake.

Unfortunately youll have to sack off a scone for them.

Honestly id they're anything like me, theyll be thrilled youve attempted as most wouldn't cater

If it’s not a medical reason I would al then ( what do you want to eat and I will try and provide it ) TRY

I have similar dietary restrictions and am delighted to be offered anything at all that I can eat.

M&S has a good ‘made without’ range: you could buy a cake or box of cake slices from there. They do excellent g-f bread, so sandwiches with tuna or meat filling, using mayonnaise instead of butter/spread, would be acceptable to other people, too. Or just buy one of their ready-made g-f wraps and slice it into several pieces.

There’s always cherry tomatoes plus carrot or celery sticks, too, which are not expensive and which others will eat.

Oh ive just seen this is just preference rather than allergies/intolerance.

The alternatives are expensive, so I guess its up to you as to whether you want to cater it.

Mines allergies, which feels like an unfair tax on the expense. But I obvs cant choose it haha

Yep this is what I’m finding hard - I’m used to doing GF but it’s the dairy and soya that’s making it hard

If you're inviting a guest, you need to be a good host imo or don't invite her.

Ask her what she would make and go from there.

It's a total cop out to just shrug and go oh it's too hard, like your somehow have to host a party.

Why don't you just ask what things she can eat?

I know you don't want to cook anything but could you buy sushi or summer rolls nearby? I have a GF friend and make summer rolls and sushi often. I'm not veggie, but prefer these without the prawns. I normally do a satay sauce, but no good if you friend doesn't eat nuts. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/vietnamese-prawn-summer-rolls

Some of these meals are GF and DF and don't mention soya as an allergen.https://www.cookfood.net/menu/main-meals/gluten-free#

Corn chips (need to check ingredients), carrot and celery batons and houmous?

This doesn't show any dairy or soya in the ingredients https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/nog-pork-pie-130g

This burger with a GF bun and salad https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/sainsburys-deliciously-free-from-spiced-mexican-bean-burgers-x2-227g

I would make sure you have some fresh fruit as that’s an easy win. Then ask her for recommendations for scones, cakes, sausage rolls, whatever that she would eat.

As these are preferences rather than allergies, my guess is she’s a fussy eater, so put the ball in her court to identify acceptable foods. I was a vegetarian for 20 years and I would very happily bring my own food to an event for the host to prepare for me to save them the trouble of cooking me something separate.

So not an allergy? Sod it, gf bread and aldi does a good dairy free cheese for a sandwich, morrisons does dairy and egg free raspberry doughnuts... also various other df/gf cakes available which others could also eat? Does she do it for attention?

Then she/he can bring their own food….i don’t like certain foods but never expect a host to cater for my whims & fancies.

She can bring her own then.

I have allergies.

Just ask them to bring their own food. I would infinitely rather the host do this than go to vast trouble for me OR serve up only a token amount that I can eat.

However amazing your cooking, I don't want to put you to extra trouble and I am far happier eating my own food where I don't have to worry about checking packets etc. Plus I already have the right ingredients at home - gluten free soy sauce etc - so it is far easier for me to throw something together than it is for you.

I had a ‘friend’ like this. The most annoying thing was she changed her diet like she changed her underwear. So even more annoying than catering to these diets was a few weeks later seeing posts of her and family eating battered fish and chips as they had decided not to be gluten free vegans anymore 🙄.

I would go with naturally 'free from foods' salad bits, fruit etc. M and S do a dairy and gluten free pork pie, lots of dairy and gluten free cake options in supermarkets

Sainsbury’s does a chocolate cake that meets all of these needs, also vegan and you can’t tell (it’s actually tastes nice) it’s not Sainsbury’s brand though, but larger stores carry it.

some sushi may be soy free, check, if they eat meat, ham with dairy and soya free spread on gf bread maybe?

Why not just offer a salad box?

The scones above and some lovely fresh fruit would be perfect. Or ask her to contribute something if necessary. When my son had an egg allergy we always had egg free cakes in the freezer to take to parties.